Development of Mental Representation

Development of Mental Representation
Author: Irving E. Sigel
Publisher: Psychology Press
Total Pages: 545
Release: 2013-06-17
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 1135690774

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There is a general and extensive literature in the development of representational thought and symbolic processes because of its centrality in human evolution. However, the umbrella of science and its method does not necessarily lead to a coherent conceptual model, or agreements among scholars. These basic differences among various disciplines have led to the creation of new and exciting realms of research. This book considers how representational or symbolic thought develops for children's use in a wide array of these circumstances.

What are Mental Representations?

What are Mental Representations?
Author: Joulia Smortchkova
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 256
Release: 2020-09-28
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 0190686685

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The topic of this book is mental representation, a theoretical concept that lies at the core of cognitive science. Together with the idea that thinking is analogous to computational processing, this concept is responsible for the "cognitive turn" in the sciences of the mind and brain since the 1950s. Conceiving of cognitive processes (such as perception, reasoning, and motor control) as consisting of the manipulation of contentful vehicles that represent the world has led to tremendous empirical advancements in our explanations of behaviour. Perhaps the most famous discovery that explains behavior by appealing to the notion of mental representations was the discovery of 'place' cells that underlie spatial navigation and positioning, which earned researchers John O'Keefe, May-Britt Moser, and Edvard I. Moser a joint Nobel Prize in 2014. And yet, despite the empirical importance of the concept, there is no agreed definition or theoretical understanding of mental representation. This book constitutes a state-of-the-art overview on the topic of mental representation, assembling some of the leading experts in the field and allowing them to engage in meaningful exchanges over some of the most contentious questions. The collection gathers both proponents and critics of the notion, making room for debates dealing with the theoretical and ontological status of representations, the possibility of formulating a general account of mental representation which would fit our best explanatory practices, and the possibility of delivering such an account in fully naturalistic terms. Some contributors explore the relation between mutually incompatible notions of mental representation, stemming from the different disciplines composing the cognitive sciences (such as neuroscience, psychology, and computer science). Others question the ontological status and explanatory usefulness of the notion. And finally, some try to sketch a general theory of mental representations that could face the challenges outlined in the more critical chapters of the volume.

Mental Representation

Mental Representation
Author: Stephen P. Stich
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
Total Pages: 388
Release: 1994-07-19
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 9781557864772

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This volume is a collection of new and previously published essays focusing on one of the most exciting and actively discussed topics in contemporary philosophy: naturalistic theories of mental content. The volume brings together important papers written by some of the most distinguished theorists working in the field today. Authors contributing to the volume include Jerry Fodor, Rugh Millikan, Fred Dretske, Ned Block, Robert Cummins, and Daniel Dennett.

Perspectives on Mental Representation

Perspectives on Mental Representation
Author: Merrill Garrett
Publisher:
Total Pages: 502
Release: 2017-03-13
Genre:
ISBN: 9781138697324

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Originally published in 1982, the editors felt that their field was clearly in need of explanatory accounts for many different areas. This volume presents statements of the status of research in several areas by scholars at the forefront of the discipline. It tries at the same time to juxtapose theoretical and experimental perspectives in order to display some of the major lines of tension in the field. Divided into 5 parts it covers: Theoretical Perspectives; Experimental Studies in Processing; Neuropsychological Studies in Processing; Studies in Development; followed by Commentary on some specific chapters.

Development of Mental Representation

Development of Mental Representation
Author: Irving E. Sigel
Publisher: Psychology Press
Total Pages: 489
Release: 1999-01-01
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 0805822283

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There is a general and extensive literature in the development of representational thought and symbolic processes because of its centrality in human evolution. However, the umbrella of science and its method does not necessarily lead to a coherent conceptual model, or agreements among scholars. These basic differences among various disciplines have led to the creation of new and exciting realms of research. This book considers how representational or symbolic thought develops for children's use in a wide array of these circumstances.

Representation in Cognitive Science

Representation in Cognitive Science
Author: Nicholas Shea
Publisher: OUP Oxford
Total Pages: 305
Release: 2018-10-04
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 0198812884

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Our thoughts are meaningful. We think about things in the outside world; how can that be so? This is one of the deepest questions in contemporary philosophy. Ever since the 'cognitive revolution', states with meaning-mental representations-have been the key explanatory construct of the cognitive sciences. But there is still no widely accepted theory of how mental representations get their meaning. Powerful new methods in cognitive neuroscience can now reveal information processing in the brain in unprecedented detail. They show how the brain performs complex calculations on neural representations. Drawing on this cutting-edge research, Nicholas Shea uses a series of case studies from the cognitive sciences to develop a naturalistic account of the nature of mental representation. His approach is distinctive in focusing firmly on the 'subpersonal' representations that pervade so much of cognitive science. The diversity and depth of the case studies, illustrated by numerous figures, make this book unlike any previous treatment. It is important reading for philosophers of psychology and philosophers of mind, and of considerable interest to researchers throughout the cognitive sciences.

Cognition And Representation

Cognition And Representation
Author: Stephen Schiffer
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 198
Release: 2022-02-23
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 0429713541

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This book is a result of a Cognitive Science program conducted to identify some of the leading issues and approaches that dominate in cognitive science research. The discussion is organized under four groups: psychological theories, mental representation, cognitive development, and semantic theory.

Understanding the Representational Mind

Understanding the Representational Mind
Author: Josef Perner
Publisher: Bradford Books
Total Pages: 348
Release: 1993
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 9780262660822

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A model of writing in cognitive development, Understanding the Representational Mind synthesizes the burgeoning literature on the child's theory of mind to provide an integrated account of children's understanding of representational and mental processes, which is crucial in their acquisition of our commonsense psychology.

The Origins of Mental Representation

The Origins of Mental Representation
Author: Alan Leslie
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
Total Pages: 224
Release: 2010-11
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 9780631151760

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All the biological entities and all the machines, that we know of, are composed of parts or components. And in every case, in order to understand them, we have to identify the parts and their arrangements and to unravel the structure-function relationships involved. The same will surely be true in the study of the mind-brain and its development. Cognitive development takes place, in the first instance, because the mind-brain is structured in such a way that it performs the function, given some experience, of producing cognitive development. I call this initial structure, the core architecture of the mind-brain, and sketch a theory of a major subsystem of human core architecture. The subsystem I describe has the function of producing conceptual development during infancy and the preschool years. There are two main components to this subsystem. One creates conceptual knowledge of physical objects and mechanics; the other produces conceptual knowledge of Agents their intentional properties. Together, they provide a powerful conceptual core which interfaces intricately with simultaneously developing language structure. The development of this distinctively human core cognitive system is investigated from infancy onwards exploring both normal and abnormal development.

Stretching the Imagination

Stretching the Imagination
Author: Cesare Cornoldi
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 208
Release: 1996-03-14
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 0198026005

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This is the first volume in the Counterpoints Series, which explores the issues being debated in psychology, child development, linguistics, and neuroscience. Each volume consists of the presentation of three or four extensive chapters by researchers representing key points of view on the issue. This text examines one of the liveliest areas of debate in psychology today, the relationship between perception and mental imagery. A variety of recent studies have pointed to the existence of a strong relationship between memory and mental representation, while others have shown that images are open to reinterpretation and manipulation, and are therefore not merely static impressions or mental representations of memories. Three core chapters by researchers in the midst of this debate--Maria Brandimonte, Geir Kaufmann, and Dan Reisberg--make up the central portion of this text. The first chapter is a historical overview of the problem as well as a review of the research in psychology and the argument as it has developed in related fields, such as philosophy and artificial intelligence. The last chapter pulls together all of the positions and points to new areas of research which may help uncover an explanation for the apparent contradictions in the research. Students and researchers in psychology and cognitive psychology will benefit from this comprehensive look at this heated debate.